Latest market data

Stock search

As the holiday
shopping season begins, more consumers are turning to their
smartphones and tablets to make purchases -- or at least to guide
their buying decisions. A recent Javelin Strategy Group study
found that in the past year consumers made nearly $21 billion in
purchases using mobile devices.

If the holiday season is important to your business and you don't
have a mobile
app, now is the time to seriously consider creating one.
Hiring an app developer may be beyond your budget, but a number
of lower-cost services and platforms can help.

While all app-building tools allow non-coders to build mobile
apps, many do little more than repackage content from your social
media sites. That's probably not the most effective approach for
a small business trying to lure holiday shoppers.

Here are five of the most effective platforms that can help you
build and deploy an app customized for your business that
includes your own original content, as well as easy ways for
mobile users to find your company, ask questions, get special
updates and deals, share your information with others, and
perhaps even make direct purchases -- all without knowing how to
code. Plus some tips for what to do once your app is created:

1. MobiCartMobiCart is a platform that focuses on
building apps that include a mobile shopping cart. It also
supports multiple languages and currencies and can be
customized for your business. MobiCart apps run on iOS,
Android and the mobile web. There's a free but limited plan.
Basic paid plans start at $15 per month (iPhone only, up to
100 product listings) or $29 per month (iPhone/iPad, Android,
mobile Web, up to 2,000 product listings). A pro plan is $49
per month and comes with unlimited product listings for iOS,
Android and mobile web.

2. RunRev LiveCode
This service is not just an app builder, but a software
development platform for non-coders. You can use RunRev LiveCode to build an app to serve
virtually any business function, including in-app purchasing
and information relevant to your app users' current location.
It also offers video lessons on building apps and a support
forum where users of the platform help answer each others'
questions. Mobile apps from this platform run on iOS and
Android. Plans start at $20 per month.

3. MobileAppLoader
This tool offers a variety of app templates, primarily for common
types of service businesses. MobileAppLoader's features vary by
business category and include appointment scheduling (ideal
for salons, day spas, tailors and the like), push
notifications, specialized calculators and more. This platform
generates Android and iOS apps, and guarantees Apple App Store
approval. Pricing varies by business type, but most packages
start at $99 for setup, plus $8.99 per month.

4. App Express
Available features include appointment scheduling, deals and
coupons, in-app messaging, payment processing via PayPal, a
dashboard for the business owner, and a mobile landing page for
the web. App Express apps run on either iOS or
Android. Setup costs $199, plus a monthly fee of $75. You can
create more than one app for this price, which may be useful
for market segmentation.

5. The App Builder
This tool offers a template for retailers and other types of
businesses. The App Builder also features social media
content integration, a product gallery and more. In addition
to apps for iOS and Android, this platform also creates
Windows 8 and Windows Phone apps. There's a free trial to
build a demo app. You can pay either a $499 lump sum or an
annual fee -- $99 per year for iOS or Windows apps, $25 per
year for Android.

What to do once your app is built: Most
app-building platforms can assist you with getting your app
placed in Apple's App Store, the Google Play store or other major
app marketplaces. Sometimes there is an additional fee for this
service. If you're building an iOS app, there may be a
significant wait for Apple to make a decision about your app, and
the company can choose to reject any app from its store. It's
usually faster and easier to place Android apps in the Google
Play store.

You will need to market your app, so be sure to tell people where
they can download it and which mobile platforms it's available
for. Posters in your store or office, mentions in advertising and
links from your website can help. Also, demonstrating your app
in-person to customers and prospects can be compelling.

Corrections: A previous version of this
story misstated the platforms MobileAppLoader generates apps
for. It works on Android and iOS. Additionally, the pricing
information for The App Builder has been updated.